TURA: The daylong all India ‘Bharat Bandh’ jointly called by trade and commerce industries along with several organizations in the country witnessed a mixed response in the Garo Hills districts as several towns remained closed while others, including Tura, did not take part.
Garo Hills most important town, Tura, is holding a silent candle light service on Monday evening in honour of the jawans who were martyred in the terror attack.
The Bharat Bandh’ had been called by various groups and organizations to protest the terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir which killed 40 soldiers and left scores critically injured.
Calls for the protest, that was quickly circulated through various social media outlets across the country, was also doing the rounds in Garo Hills and by Monday morning the protest was visible as shops in important towns such as Williamnagar, Mendipather, Phulbari, Rongjeng,Tikrikilla and other smaller towns remaining closed in protest against the terror attack in Kashmir.
Normal life went about in the town of Tura with schools and government offices functioning smoothly while traders did brisk business.
The protest was partial in smaller towns such as Hallidayganj in the plains belt region.
While the trading towns of Phulbari and Mendipather remained completely closed for the entire day, most shops and establishments in Williamnagar and other towns did began opening up for trade by afternoon.
Transportation was a major hinderance for commuters in the affected areas as public buses did not ply at many of the routes.
Earlier, candle light programmes were organised at Baghmara town of South Garo Hills on Saturday evening and at Garobadha on Sunday to express solidarity with the families of the jawans who were killed in the Kashmir terror attack.